This is a very interesting question, as many people believe that as long as they believe in Jesus, they will go to heaven. The Bible and the Seventh-day Adventists teach that the mark of the beast is coming and that there is another time of testing for the people of God, much like in the days of Noah. What are the teachings of the Seventh-day Adventists? Is this church man-made, or did God call them to give a special message called the Three Angels’ Message and the Sanctuary Message? Let us find out.
The Millerite Movement
It all started around 1830 when a man named William Miller began a two-year study of the Bible, verse by verse. One day, William Miller came across Daniel 8:14, which says:
DA 8:14 Unto 2300 days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
This verse intrigued William Miller. He began to understand that the “days” mentioned in prophecy represent years. As Gabriel explains in Daniel, this period of time is for the time of the end.
The Sanctuary Teaching
This sanctuary belief is fundamental and extremely significant because it teaches that all beings are currently being judged by Jesus. William Miller concluded that the cleansing of the sanctuary pointed to October 22, the Day of Atonement.
On the Day of Atonement, the Jews were required to fast and examine their hearts. The high priest was the only person allowed to enter the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. This was the day when the sanctuary was cleansed from the record of sin for the entire year.
When a sinner brought an animal to be sacrificed, pardon was granted, but the record of sin remained. Therefore, a cleansing of the sanctuary was required to remove the record of those sins.
HE 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
HE 8 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such a High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
The Three Angels’ Message
This teaching is important because Jesus says that a message will be given to the world in the last days. This message is called the Three Angels’ Message.
We know that the true church arises after the 1260 years of persecution. This means the end-time movement must appear after 1798, when papal persecution ended.
William Miller and the Prophetic Timeline
William Miller was correct about the time frame. The 2300 years began in 457 BC.
DA 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Jerusalem was rebuilt in 457 BC. Adding 2300 years brings us to the time when Jesus entered the Most Holy Place.
Only the high priest could cleanse the sanctuary. The sanctuary is not on earth, as William Miller first thought, but in heaven. God allowed a shadow of this event to test His people.
RE 10:11 Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
After the disappointment, God instructed His people that the message would be sweet in the mouth but bitter in the belly. Then they were to preach the Three Angels’ Message to the whole world.
RE 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
The Fall of Babylon
The Bible says that after the first angel’s message, there was a rejection of truth, resulting in the fall of Babylon.
RE 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth.
If the papacy is the mother of Babylon, then the daughters represent Protestant churches that retained certain beliefs. By rejecting the message, they entered a fallen state again.
RE 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
The Sabbath
The Sabbath is a key teaching given by God. Revelation 14 shows that God’s end-time people keep His commandments.
Does this include the Sabbath? Yes.
Many churches teach that the law is no longer binding. However, the Bible says that if there were no law, there would be no sin.
1 JN 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
If there were no law, there would be no sinners. But we know that sin still exists. Therefore, the Ten Commandments remain relevant.
IS 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.
The Sabbath will be kept in heaven. Jesus kept the Sabbath.
LK 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Paul also kept the Sabbath.
AC 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures.
Was the Sabbath changed to Sunday?
LK 23:55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.
56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
They kept the Sabbath after Jesus died.
LK 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared.
The Sabbath has never been changed.
JA 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill.
The Fourth Angel
The fourth angel is the final message that will lighten the earth with glory. It is known as the “loud cry” and is connected to the message of righteousness by faith.
This message was presented in 1888 by A.T. Jones and Waggoner. Many leaders rejected it, and Ellen G. White was sent to Australia.
She stated that if the message had been accepted, Jesus would have returned. The message emphasized righteousness by faith, yet many preferred legalism.
Ellen G. White: Prophet?
RE 12 describes God’s end-time church as keeping the commandments and having the testimony of Jesus.
RE 19:10 Worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. This indicates that God’s end-time people would have prophetic guidance.
Josiah Litch predicted in 1838 that the Ottoman Empire would fall on August 11, 1840. This occurred exactly as stated.
After the disappointment of October 22, 1844, Hiram Edson received insight that the sanctuary was in heaven, not on earth.
AC 2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
These events confirm the rise of a movement proclaiming the Three Angels’ Message.